Detachable boat wheeling device

ABSTRACT

A DETACHABLE BOAT WHEELING DEVICE COMPRISING A CARRIAGE FRAMEWORK OF BENT METAL BAR STOCK DEFINING AT ONE END A BIGHT HAVING THROUGH PIN CONNECTION MEANS FOR STRADDLING AND INTERCONNECTION WITH A BOAT PROW EYE, AND EXTENDING INTO OPPOSED, COEXTENSIVE SPACED PRO SUPPORTING SIDE PORTIONS THE LOWER ENDS OF WHICH ARE BENT DOWNWARDLY AND SUPPORT BETWEEN THEM A WHEEL. CABLES EXTENDING UPWARDLY OF EACH SIDE OF THE FRAMEWORK TERMINATE IN HOOKS ATTACHABLE OVER THE GUNWALE AT EACH SIDE OF A BOAT.

March 2, 1971 J. A. FOSCHINO DETACHABLE BOAT WHEELING DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1969 IVENTOR. JOHN/lFOSCH/NO HTTOR/UEX United States Patent 3,567,241 DETACHABLE BOAT WHEELING DEVICE John A. Foschino, 44 E. Pleasant Ave., Maywood, NJ. 07607 Filed Feb. 24, 1969, Ser. No. 801,487 Int. Cl. B60p 3/10 US. Cl. 280--47.32 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to attachment devices for launching and landing small boats, and is directed particularly to a boat wheeling device that is readily attachable to the prow of a boat enabling it to be easily moved by lifting and pulling or pushing at the stern.

Various wheeled attachment devices have heretofore been devised for assisting in launching, landing and otherwise moving a small boat on land. Such devices as heretofore known, however, are deficient in many respects, principally in that they are complicated and expensive to manufacture, and difiicult to attach and remove from a boat.

It is, accordingly, the principal object of this invention to provide a detachable boat wheel device which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use and foolproof in operation.

A more particular object is to provide a boat wheeling device of the character described which can readily be constructed with a framework of easily formed and assembled stock bar or strap metal parts, and which attaches to the prow eye and gunwales of the boat in a matter of a few seconds.

Another object is to provide a detachable boat wheeling device of the character described which is adaptable to use with flat bow prows.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 illustrates, in perspective, a boat fitted with a detachable boat wheeling device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates, in perspective, and on an enlarged scale, the detachable boat wheeling device shown separately;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating the bight portion of the carriage framework of the boat wheeling device, illustrating the mechanism by means of Which it is removably attached to the prow of a boat;

FIG. 4 illustrates, in oblique view, a modified form of gunwale hook comprising the detachable boat wheeling device; and

FIG. 5 illustrates, in oblique view, an attachment device for fiat bow prams, adapting them for use of the detachable boat wheeling device embodying the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the numeral in FIGS. 1 and 2 designates, generally, a boat wheeling device embodying the invention, the same being shown attached to a boat B as in use in FIG. 1, and shown separately in FIG. 2. Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the boat wheeling device 10 is comprised, generally, of a carriage framework structure 11, for the support of the prow end of the boat, a wheel 12 journalled at the lower end of said carriage framework structure and a pair of gunwale cables 13 and 14 attached to and extending upwardly of each side of said carriage framework structure near the lower end thereof and terminating in hooks 15 and 16, respectively, adapted to hook over gunwale portions at each side of the boat in the securement of said boat wheeling device thereto.

The carriage framework structure 11, which is prefer ably formed of bent metal strap stock, such as of aluminum stock 1 inch wide and A; inch thick, comprises an upper end, reversely bent or bight portion 17 extending symmetrically at each side into outwardly and downwardly arcuately-bent opposed, prow-supporting portions 18 and 19, the lower ends of which merge into downwardly-bent lower end portions 20, 21. The outer ends of the end portions 20, 21 are held in spaced parallel relation by means of an axle 22 journalling the wheel 12. The lower end portions 20, 21 at each side of the carriage framework structure 11 are rigidly supported with respect to their respective prow supporting portions 18 and 19 by respective brace straps 23, 24, which are also preferably of aluminum bar stock, secured in interconnecting relation as by bolts or rivets 25. Lower and upper U-shaped spacer straps 26, 27, respectively, straddle each other and the opposed prow-supporting portions 18, 19 of the carriage framework structure 11 and are attached at each side as by bolts or rivets 28, (only one shown in FIG. 2), to hold said prow-supporting portions in spaced relation. The upper spacer strap 27 is bent inwardly to provide a shallow, V-shaped recess for locating the front edge of the prow near the underside of a boat (see FIG. 2). To protect the prow of the boat, the upper edges of the prow supporting portions 18, 19 are fitted along their lengths with elongated cushion pads 29, 30, respectively, which may be of neoprene or the like resilent material.

Means is provided for connecting the upper end of the boat wheeling device to the usual prow eyelet E of a boat (see FIG. 1). To this end, the bight portion 17 is fitted with a transverse conector pin 31 (see FIG. 3), having a shank portion 32 extending through an opening 33 in one side of said bight and formed at its inner end with a round head 34 of such size that it cannot pass through said opening but only through an opening 35 in the opposite side of said bight. The outer end of the pin 31 is fitted with an increased diameter knurled knob 36 for manual withdrawal of the pin to the limit position of its head 34 to permit placement of said bight in straddling relation over a boat prow eye E for connection thereto as in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified form of gunwale hook comprising a hook shaped bar 38 having a comparatively long arm portion 39 provided near its outer end with an opening 40 for the passage therethrough of the upper end of a gunwale cable 14a, which may be fixed in place as by a cleat 41. The comparatively short arm portion 42 is fitted with a thumbscrew 43 terminating at its inner end in a bell washer 44. The use of the gunwale hook of FIG. 4 will be the same as that of the hooks 15 and 16 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the exception that the thumbscrew 43 of the hook 38 permits tighter clamping in place and therefore substantially eliminates any possibility of slippage.

FIG. 5 illustrates an attachment device 45 adapting the wheeling device 10 for use with fiat bow prows. The attachment device 45 comprises a prow hook 46, of bent metal stock, having an upper hook portion 47, adapted to hook over the top of the prow, and a flat, depending portion 48. An adjustable attachment arm 49 is adjustably securable against and along the outside of the prow hook 46 by the provision of longitudinally spaced elongated slots 50 in said attachment arm through which cap screws 51 fitted with flat washers 52 extend into threaded openings in the prow hook 46. The lower end of the attachment arm 49 is twisted to provide an end portion 53 the fiat opposed surfaces of which extend in axial direction along the length of a prow to which the device is attached. The end portion 53 is provided with a transverse opening 54 for the reception of the boat wheeling device connector pin 31, as illustrated in FIG. 5. It will be understood that in the use of the attachment device, the attachment arm 49 will be adjusted and fixed, by means of the cap screws 51 to adjust to the size of the bow to which it is attached. Use of the wheeling device 10 is otherwise the same as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

While I have illustrated and described herein only two forms in which the invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to be understood that these forms are given by way of example only and not in a limiting sense. The invention, in brief, comprises all th modifications and embodiments coming within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A detachable boat wheeling device comprising a carriage framework of bent strap metal defining at one end a bight, a pair of laterally-spaced prow supporting portions extending outwardly of said bight, the outer ends of said prow-supporting portions being bent downwardly and terminating in spaced-apart lower end portions, a wheel journalled between said spaced-apart lower end portions, a pair of cables attached to and extending one each from said spaced-apart lower end portions of said carriage framework, gunwale hooks attached to the outer ends of said cables, and means for removably securing said bight with respect to an eye extending outwardly of the prow of the boat, said bight securing means comprising a lock pin receivable through openings in opposite side portions of said framework prow supporting portions in the vicinity of said bight and adapted to pass through a prow boat eye straddled said bight, said gunwale hooks being each comprised of strap metal bent into hook shape, and an attachment device having hook means for attachment to a flat bow pram and an opening for the connection thereto of said carriage framework by means of said lock pin.

2. A detachable boat wheeling device as defined in claim 1 including a thumbscrew in the outer end of the hook and having a bell washer journalled on the inner end thereof for securement over the gunwale of a boat.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,109,520 9/1914 Flower 28047.32 2,551,040 5/1951 Newell 91(TR)X 2,637,050 5/1953 Oliver 9-1 (TR) 2,978,257 4/1961 Barker 2804l4(A)X 3,220,745 11/1965 DuCharme 28047.32 3,361,441 1/1968 McRae 2804732 3,462,781 8/ 1969 Olvera 91 (TR) LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner L. J. PAPERNER, Assistant Examiner U. S. Cl. X.R. 280414 

